The journey continues - where are Frank and Lily off to?

Soundtrack suggestion: Preparing to Set Sail, Lilt Snoops

*Important Note at the end, referencing a fellow writer (LiyPadWriting) and her contribution to this chapter.

Chapter 11: Back to the River

Frank managed to get a few hours of sleep, but when the sun peeked its head over the horizon, he was already awake and dressed, eager to start the day. The shirt and pants Lily delivered fit perfectly, and he even managed to attach his clean suspenders to the trousers, giving him the finishing touch he needed to head out the door, freshly washed skipper cap in hand.

Even though it was dawn and the full light of the morning had yet to touch the ground, the marketplace was a bustle of activity. Vendors were setting up their shops, food was being prepared, and fishermen were unloading the catches they had already made before the sun came up. Frank found a few locals that he had traded with previously and was able to negotiate some food and supplies from them. He even grabbed a box of fancy looking tea with a picture of a lady with a crown, thinking Lily might like it.

Zaqueu appeared behind him and tugged excitedly at his shirt. "Frank! Frank! I did it — Nilo agreed." Zaqueu held up a key attached to a short chunky rope, his face beaming with pride.

"Zaqueu, my man! YOU are a lifesaver. Nilo didn't give you any trouble?" Frank ruffled the young boy's hair in appreciation and took the key from him while handing him an apple from his bag.

"Nope. He took the money and said, 'If anything happens to my boat, tell Frank I will chop off his legs.'" The young boy took a large bite from his apple and smiled up at his large friend.

"Yep, sounds about right." He stood up and adjusted his hat.

Nilo had several tour boats, but he also had two smaller tug boats. They didn't have any sleeper compartments, but they were strong and fast, and were the perfect transportation for the day.

"Let's go kid, I need your help loading the boat." Frank turned Zaqueu around and gave him a friendly shove towards the dock.

XXXX

Lily turned from side to side and checked herself in the mirror for a third time. Her hair had dried while it was in a braid, creating a wavy blanket of blonde hair that she pulled it into a bun, letting a few soft curls hang down the sides of her face. The skirt and blouse she acquired from the marketplace fit like a dream, and she knew she would blend right in with the local attire. She still felt slightly bare and underdressed, having been used to the multiple layers of the traditional garb worn by women in England. Still, the blouse and skirt were very flattering, and with the anticipated heat of the day, would also be a much cooler option than her trousers.

She smoothed the soft material across her chest and stomach, and retied the strings at the top of the blouse as she looked herself in the mirror again. She sighed and tried to settle the bundle of nerves that cropped up over night.

It had been a handful of days since she and Frank had actually been alone together; and although she was unsure of what this little errand might be, she felt her sense of adventure piqued, just like at the start of this memorable and life changing expedition. The only difference was, and the one that made Lily uneasy, that she wasn't the one in charge. The details were unknown, there was no map, no clues…just, trust. Trusting Frank had gotten easier, but she still kept her guard up.

She managed to clean her boots off pretty well, and as she laced them, decided to fold the top half way down to make them a touch shorter, and in essence a bit cooler for wear under her skirt.

The heat was already becoming noticeable as she began to move about her room. The humidity level doubled over-night, which meant it would most likely rain again soon. Lily felt the moisture on her brow and the warmth was already becoming uncomfortable, and it wasn't event eight a.m. yet.

Panic set in, what was the time?

7:51 A.M. The small clock at the bedside read.

Lily grabbed a leather crossbody satchel she had found in MacGregor's trunk, and thew in a canteen of water and her journal. Throwing the strap over her head and settling the bag at her hip, she made her way from her room and out the exit of the hotel. The water came into view and, reminding herself not to break into a run, she made her way to the dock in search of her skipper.

XXXX

Frank took the rag from the back of his pants and used it to wipe the sweat from his neck and head. Even though it was overcast, the heat and the humidity felt like a damp blanket across his skin. He glanced down at the water and thought momentarily of jumping in to cool off, but decided against it just as Zaqueu came around the corner, dragging a trunk by one handle down the dock and towards Frank.

"I found this one in the water too Frank. It's empty though — I think Pasqual and his gang took everything from it." Zaqueu's voice was hoarse as he fought to catch his breath from the exertion of dragging the large luggage piece across the bumpy wooden floorboards.

"Thanks kid, this will work just fine." Frank lifted the trunk easily into the rear of the boat. He looked over his supplies, and placed his hands on his hips as he went through a mental checklist of items. Satisfied he had what he needed, he turned back towards dry land.

"Now I just need my passenger." He said out loud, scanning the mainland. A bloom of anxious energy had spread through his limbs. When he woke up today, it felt as if he had finally turned a page in his own book of life. A page he had been stuck on for nearly four hundred years. And now, as he waited for the woman that convinced him that his life, his current life, was worth living, he felt restless and eager to get started.

The sun had found an opening through the clouds and bright rays of golden light shot out from the sky above and streamed down across the town below it. Steam started to lift from the dewy surface of the staircase that snaked up the hillside to the hotel.

Frank blinked into the light and saw a figure making its way down the stairs. Frank brought his arm up to block the intensity of the glow as he squinted into the brightness, the sunlight creating a silhouette around the figure as they approached.

"Dios mío." Zaqueu mumbled under his breath, as he too watched as the figure come into view.

Frank realized in awe that the figure approaching, in what seemed like slow motion, was Lily. As the sun was hidden behind a cloud once again, he lowered his arm slowly, unable to look away from her. She was almost unrecognizable. Gone were her signature brown pants, and in their place, a flowing white skirt.

The garment was adorned with delicate details and moved across her legs like it was a part of her body. His eyes traveled up to the brown leather belt that hugged her slim waistline and the sleeveless blouse that was only covering up the bare necessities of her pale, soft skin, hugged her body perfectly.

Frank's mouth went dry, and just when he thought she couldn't get any more attractive, he noticed that she was still wearing her brown leather boots under the skirt, giving her that tough, tenacious look he had come to expect. He had learned over the last two weeks that Lily was many things — fierce and defiant, independent and smart, adventurous and resilient. He'd been attracted to every part of her, and now, as she marched towards him wearing…that …he knew, he was in trouble. It wasn't that her outfit was provocative by any means; it was that it made her look lithe and sensual in such a subtle and confident way, that it made his heart race.

And racing it was.

Lily grinned at the look of bewilderment written across Frank's face. He stood motionless as he watched her, mouth agape and his thumbs hooked into the bands of his suspenders. Her confidence soared knowing that she could command his attention in this way, and she felt powerful and utterly feminine as she approached him.

"Close your mouth Skippy, time to go!" She remarked as she sauntered past him and directly onto the boat - a near repeat of the first time she boarded La Quila.

Finally able to produce a thought, Frank cleared his throat and turned towards the boat just as Lily finished her quick examination of their transportation. "It's small." She commented as she set her bag down.

Frank grinned and walked towards her, his boots thudding with each step as they hit the worn wood of the dock.

"It's not the size that matters, as long as it can get the job done — which it will." He winked at her as he came under the shade of the canopy.

The bridge of the ship was significantly smaller than their last two boats. The wheel was on the left, and was about half the circumference of La Quila's with a small shelf directly in front of it. To the right of the wheel was a short rectangular countertop that only came up to Lily's backside — making it seem like it was a seat rather than a workspace. The entirety of the cabin was framed by dark stained wood with cutouts for windows, but no glass except for the front window to block the wind. The rest of the boat was also simple and contained nothing more than a bench at the bow of the boat, and another bench at the stern, directly under the canopy.

Leaning against the frame of the doorway to the bridge, he took his hat off and tossed it to the shelf in front of the wheel. He wiped his sweaty palms on the rag and found himself unable to stop staring at the woman in front of him. "I just got used to you in pants, and you gotta go and change it up on me?" He quipped, tilting his head to the side as if trying to see her from another angle.

Lily felt his stare begin to penetrate her defenses. She crossed her arms across her body to feel a little less out in the open. "Still interested in my apparel, are you, Frank?"

"Something like that." He smiled coyly. The rag in his hands a welcome distraction as he twisted it tightly, giving his fingers something to do instead of reaching out to try and touch the alluring fabric of her skirt.

"You look…" He took a deep breath as he continued to look her up and down, committing each new curve and detail to memory. Lily's eyebrows lifted in anticipation as he paused and continued to examine her, thinking he was trying to come up with a smart or sarcastic comment to. Instead he offered a quiet and sincere, "…lovely."

Lily felt herself smile before the word registered to her brain. Compliments from Frank have always been heartfelt, and this one was no different. "Thank you." She replied simply, a smile of appreciation on her lips.

Glancing over his appearance for the first time, she was pleased to see that the clothing she had acquired in the marketplace suited him well. The shirt was fitted, but still looked loose enough to be comfortable, and his pants hugged the muscle of his legs, but was slack around his waist where the suspenders held them securely.

"You look quite nice by the way. I'm glad the clothes fit." Lily took a step closer to him and pulled at the fabric of his sleeve that was flipped up and out of place. She smoothed it out over the expanse of muscle along his bicep, taking an extra second or two longer than was necessary to ensure the shirt was where it was supposed to be.

Frank smiled. "Yes — thank you again. It can be tough to find clothes that are not large like a tablecloth or too small that would make me look like…well…MacGregor." He joked, which made her snicker in amusement.

"I'd like to see you try and fit into MacGregor's clothes!" She chuckled.

Frank's eyes lit up suddenly and he snapped his fingers as he recalled something. He pushed himself off of the doorframe and took a step towards Lily, walking directly into her space so quickly that as took a step back to avoid him colliding with her, she bumped the low countertop behind her with her backside.

"There's just one thing missing…I hope you don't mind, I found something I think that would complete your… outfit." He reached a hand behind her, and Lily watched as his face come utterly close to her own. He seemed slightly giddy, which is not an emotion she was used to seeing on him — it made her curiosity spike.

He reached into his rucksack that was sitting behind her and pulled out a brand new, white skipper cap. It was much smaller than his and had a pearly white twisted rope running across the front of it with gold buttons along the sides, and a white bill in the front.

"I think this should do it…" He held the cap out to her, watching as her eyes grew wide in surprise. She turned it over in her hands, grinning in wonder at the charming gift in her hands.

He squinted his eyes, "Huh…maybe I am a little bit too interested in your wardrobe." He said with a laugh.

"FRANK! Oh my gosh…you didn't…" There was a moment of panic when he couldn't tell if her stunned silence was going to result in happiness or revulsion. The delighted smile across her face filled his chest with a warmth that spread up his neck, and he was so relieved that she liked it, he let out a breath of air he had been holding.

Shifting his weight back so he could see her face, he took the cap from her hands and placed it atop her head. "I thought this was appropriate, now that you have survived your first trip down the Amazon—and, thanks of course to me, you made it back alive." He flicked the bill of the cap with the tip of his fingers. "Just don't tell MacGregor — I didn't get him one."

She reached her hands up to pull the cap more fully onto her head, noting that it fit snugly. "HA! No way, he doesn't deserve it!" She laughed, her eyes landing back to his with appreciation.

"This was entirely unexpected, and very thoughtful, thank you." Her arms came up to pull him into an impromptu hug, and he let her drag him in closer, his own hands reaching around her to return the embrace. As his arms enveloped her, he immediately noticed how much more of her he was touching now that she wasn't wearing her long sleeve shirt. Her body was soft and warm, and she still smelled of lavender and bath oils. He struggled with the urge of wanting to run his hands down her back, but kept his palms flat to the smooth material of her blouse.

The hug lingered, and when they pulled back, they held on to one another; his hands clutched at her elbows, with hers coming to rest atop the solid frame of his shoulders. Both were reluctant to break the physical contact, and for some reason neither one could bring themselves to reignite the flame that had begun to burn between during them just days prior.

Something had happened the moment they returned to Porto Velho; they both felt it. A hesitancy had developed between them and despite the intimate moments they had shared along their journey back, it was almost as if they had happened in another life. The reality of returning to a town full of people had shifted their interactions in such a way that it felt like they were strangers again, meeting for the first time.

The attraction remained, and the yearning…but something held them back from reaching for the intimacy they both longed for.

Perhaps it was the unavoidable attention of others that gave them pause, or maybe it was something deeper within each of them. A seed of doubt that if they cross that final line separating them from one another, that there was no turning back.

The sound of a giggle and then a throat clearing made them both glance to the dock. Zaqueu was standing there, a goofy grin on his face. "Umm…Maybe I should I untie the ropes for you?"

Frank released his hold on Lily and clapped his hands together as he walked towards the kid. "Zaqueu! Muito obrigado! Do me a favor and tell the her brother, the skinny Englishman not to worry — we will be back before the train leaves tomorrow!"

With that, Zaqueu cast off the ropes, and Frank hauled them into the boat to secure them. Then, turning to Lily, "Alright Skipper Pants, take us out!"

Lily felt a surge of adrenaline at his command. "ME? You mean you trust me to drive, finally?" She pumped a fist into the air and adjusted her hat squarely atop her head as she stood eagerly in front of the wheel.

Frank came back to the bridge and gave her a quick tutorial on the controls. "Well, I figure you can't cause too much damage with this little tugboat, and, unless you have another madman in a submarine chasing you, I think we can manage to make it out of this harbor in one piece." Within minutes, they were chugging away from the dock.

Lily took her time to ensure nothing was in her path, then when it came time to turn the boat one way or another, she turned to her experienced instructor. "Alright Frank… I'm going to assume you're still not going to tell me what we are doing or where exactly we are going?"

He nodded. "Correct."

She sighed in annoyance, but accepted the fact that he wanted to keep their destination a mystery still. "OK…can you at least tell me which direction to go?" She asked, indicating to the river ahead where there was the equivalent of a 'fork in the road'.

"Well, last time we were headed to Lagrimas de Cristal, which is upriver — this time we're headed in the opposite direction."

"So, downriver it is!" She replied and began to turn the wheel confidently to the right.

"You got it. And hey, as a bonus, now you get to see another part of the Amazon, where everything you see will still pretty much want to eat you or kill you."

Lily scoffed. "So — just about the same as the other direction?"

"Yup." Frank nodded, and took a long swallow of water from his canteen.

"I think I handled my first outing out very well, thank you." Lily announced confidently, and used the lever to her right to increase the speed. The vibration of the boat a familiar and almost comforting feeling as the boat began to cut through the calm of the river.

Frank leaned on the short countertop next to Lily so he was facing her. "Don't be so smug — danger still lurks everywhere in this jungle. We should be prepared for anything."

"Don't you worry, Skippy — I'll protect you. " She winked at him.

He laughed heartily at her comment. "It's not me I'm worried about!"

"Well maybe if you told me where we are going, I could be more prepared."

"All will be revealed in due time. Just keep this heading, and you'll get us there."

XXXX

About a half an hour into their journey, Frank made his way to the front of the boat, raising the glass windshield in front of Lily. She smiled as they made eye contact and as he grabbed his own skipper cap through the open window.

The breeze felt luxurious as it whipped across her neck and shoulders, wet from the perspiration across her skin; the heat and humidity of the day remained and reminded the travelers that it was not going away any time soon. Frank walked carefully to the bow of the boat and as he reached down for a rope, Lily noticed his shirt was saturated with sweat from his back. He made quick work of the wayward lead and rolled it expertly into a circle and stowed it away. He then took a handkerchief from his pocket and as he leaned carefully over the edge of the boat, he dipped it into the rapidly moving water. He sat up and wrung it out and tied it loosely around his neck. Lily knew it was from years of experience that he knew all the tricks to stay cool in the stifling humidity of the Amazon.

She continued to watch him take stock of the boat, and when he finally returned to the bridge, he had a knife and an apple in his hands. He shimmied himself up onto the short countertop, and sat, leaning back against the wooden frame of the window sill.

He sliced a wedge off of the apple and using the tip of the blade, handed it to Lily with a smile.

"Thank you." She accepted the slice happily and took a bite, savoring the sweet crunch.

Frank popped a full wedge into his mouth and closed his eyes with a gratifying sigh.

Lily studied the expanse of water and green, lush trees that grew along the river banks, still in awe of it all even after all the time she'd already spent there. It occurred to her that Frank must be bored with the sights that she found so stimulating.

"I know I've said this, but I still can't believe the amount of plant life that exists in this jungle… it's just incredible. It's a botanists' dream… I could spend years studying just one riverbank." She shook her head in wonderment.

Frank grinned and offered her another piece of his apple. "You're welcome to stay and explore more — "

Lily took the slice and shook her head emphatically. "Oh no! Not on my own. If there is one thing I've learned, I most definitely need someone like you to guide me through this place…" She took a bite of the fruit in her hand.

"I'd stay with you." He said casually, yet sincerely. Her eyes flew to his in surprise.

"You'd really stay here in this jungle after all this time so I could study… plant life?" She asked, eyebrows raised skeptically as she finished her apple.

His mouth curved up into an almost smile. "Why not? I'm not stuck in any one place any longer, and I could go anywhere in the jungle now. There'd be a bunch more to explore. Besides, with my charm and your brain, we make a pretty good team I think." His eyes flickered with something akin to adventure as he finished the last of his apple and tossed the core into the river.

She looked at him with bewilderment, moved by his offer to stay in the jungle with her after all these years.

Lily shifted, and looked away towards the river once more. "Well…too bad we have more pressing engagements to deal with back in London." Her voice slightly unsteady.

"Ahh, yes. Gotta get that petal in the hands of the medical world." Frank nodded in understanding.

"Well, yes. But I made a promise to you as well. We have a whole world to explore! The jungle had its turn…time for something new." Her face lit up as she imagined the things he would finally be able to see and do — and grateful, knowing that she would be there with him.

He tilted his head as he regarded her. "Lucky me."

She pulled a lock of hair behind her ear and batted her eyelashes at him playfully. "And yes…we do make a good team. When you're not being a brute."

He pounded his fists on his chest imitating a gorilla, making her laugh.

There was a splash in the river ahead, and both of their attention snapped to the water. Frank stood up quickly and she watched as his eyes narrowed in concentration and his body tense in awareness. "Here, switch with me…" He said and placed his hand at the small of her back to maneuver her to swap places with him.

Lily's eyes were focused on the source of the noise ahead, searching for signs of movement, all the while aware of Frank, awaiting a cue from him to move if something needed to happen.

The moment came as Frank's body relaxed, and she heard him sigh in relief. "Proxima…"

She had jumped into the water from a low-hanging tree and was swimming frantically towards the boat. Frank pulled back on the throttle, letting the vessel's engine switch off, and allowing them to glide with momentum through the water.

Proxima mewled loudly, and Frank ran to the edge of the boat to grab her by the scruff of the neck and hauled her up onto the deck.

She growled happily and shook the river water from her fur with a flurry, spraying water in every direction, and soaking Frank from head to toe.

Lily laughed at the scene in front of her, and grabbed a towel from the cabinet.

"How in the world did she know where to find us?" She handed the towel to Frank, who still sat on the deck, scowling at the large jungle cat who was now licking her paws.

"She probably knew where we were headed and got a jump start early this morning." He wiped his face and stood up, blotting the towel across his shirt and pants.

"Oh, so she knows where we are going, and I'm still in the dark?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Yup." Frank smirked, and tossed the wet towel back at her as he made his way back to the wheel.

Lily shook her head and glanced down at Proxima. "I don't suppose you'll tell me where we are going?"

Proxima blinked at her and whined, then went back to grooming.

"Typical."

XXXX

Frank had taken over at the wheel while Lily relaxed on the countertop bench next to him, the heels of her boots clanking into the wood of the cabinet beneath her. She had removed her hat now that she was under shade, and placed it on the shelf nearby.

Frank watched as she expertly braided her long blonde hair, her fingers gliding deftly over one another quickly down the end and securing it with a band. He made a mental note as he watched, committing the action to memory.

They had been traveling for over an hour, chatting about the jungle and the number of times Trader Sam has had to pull weapons out of him. She followed along with his tales of adventure aptly, listening to his enthusiastic retelling of his exploits with amusement. She could tell he was excited to share his stories with someone, probably for the first time, and it made it that much more enjoyable to listen to him. She did wonder how much he was exaggerating when he got overly animated at certain points — but she let him talk, eager to hear about his time in the Amazon.

When there was a break in the conversation, Lily took a wander around the boat to stretch her legs. When she returned, she leaned against the doorway next to Frank, crossing her arms. He had a look of concentration on his face, eyes trained on the water ahead.

"Are we there yet?" She grinned at him, trying to annoy him just enough. A muscle in his jaw twitched, and she reached out with her boot to poke him in the leg playfully.

He swatted at her foot and missed. "YOU, are going to get yourself into trouble."

"You had such a serious look on your face." She chuckled at him. "Reminds me of the first day on the river…" She puffed up her chest and deepened her voice, "…'No one touches my engine but me…'" She mimicked his voice and stature, her blue eyes piercing his with laughter.

He shook his head and grinned. "Ahh yes — that was also the first time I learned that you don't follow directions very well." His lifted his hat up, letting the breeze run under it and over the moist skin of his scalp.

She waved a dismissive hand at him, with a puff of air vibrating her lips in a raspberry. Frank filed and leaned forward on the wheel to stretch his back.

She toyed with a piece of wood splintering on the frame of the door. He could tell she was bored and fidgety, not knowing where they were going and or when they would arrive.

"Tell me more about the time when —"

He snorted and interrupted her. "AH-ah…No way… I've been talking way too much…Time for you to spill some details."

She huffed and returned to her seat by the window. "Fine…what do inquiring minds want to know?"

He'd had his question queued up for quite some time now. He'd just never found the right moment to ask it.

The water… Not so much being near or around it, but stepping foot into the water set off alarms across her whole body and he wanted to know why.

She has clearly gained more confidence over the time they've known each other, but there was still an underlying reason behind her reluctance, and it nagged at his curiosity.

Seeing a woman who was otherwise fearless to the point of insanity be so terrified of something as ordinary as water never ceased to amaze him and even make him laugh at the absurdity of it all; the laughter dies, though, when he starts to wonder what horrible thing happened to her to make her so afraid.*

He took a moment, and eased into his question slowly. "Well…what I would really like to know is why, Dr. Lily Houghton, brave and determined adventurer…is so afraid… to swim?"

He knew she would balk at the subject, and his assumption was correct as he watched her tense up out of the corner of his eye.

She gave him a tight-lipped smile, and glanced down at her hands. It made him uneasy to see her so uncomfortable, and he immediately regretting asking his question. "Hey Lily…listen, you don't have to talk about something that you're not ready share…it's OK. You're not gonna offend me by not talking about it."

She looked up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, and she was grateful that he was being so understanding. She nodded quietly, not ready to speak.

He decided to try another approach, and leaned his arm on the wheel to look at her. "How about this…Tell me, what hidden talents do you possess? Hmm? I already know you're a world-renowned botanist, you're incredibly capable of taking care of yourself in a fight, and skilled at breaking and entering…" She laughed at his list, and it made him feel better to see her light up. "Tell me…what else should I be on the lookout for?"

Lily moved her hands under her thighs to sit on them, and pondered his question. Frank secured the wheel with a rope, keeping the boat on its course, then pulled up a wooden stool and made himself comfortable directly in front of Lily. The stool's height made it so he was just a touch shorter than her as she sat on the counter.

She took a deep breath and looked down at his eager face. "I mean, there's just so much to tell…" She quipped, rolling her eyes and feigning an exasperated face. Frank's lips lifted into an inquisitive smile.

"I've played the piano since I was four years old — my father insisting that I learn something 'ladylike' seeing as I spent most of my childhood playing in dirt with him on archaeological digs." Her eyes were gleaming and she closed them tightly, trying to recall the feel of the dirt on her bare feet as she ran through the streets with the other children.

Her eyes opened, and she clicked her tongue a few times, thinking. Then, recalling another example, she let loose one of the hands she'd been sitting on to point a finger in the air. "I taught MacGregor to dance the foxtrot, just recently actually. My toes will never forgive me for that one…and before I was in school for botany, I thought that I would have a career taking care of animals."

Frank's eyebrows lifted in surprise and curiosity. "Ahh…well that makes sense as to why you were so fixated on those damned monkeys in the marketplace when you should've been listening to me, and not climbing to the rooftop."

Lily wrinkled her nose and scoffed at him.

"Anyways, as I was saying…ever since I was a little girl, I had always had an affinity towards nature and all sorts of wildlife. It killed me to see them in cages or trapped or hurt. When I was in New Delhi with Father, I would take care of the stray dogs, or volunteer with a local rehab clinic…I cried for days when we returned to London, having left them all behind."

Frank listened as she recounted her story, watching as her facial expressions changed with each detail. It was almost intimidating how spirited she was — but he also found himself inescapably drawn to it.

His attention rebounded as she drew in a deep breath and her hands came up to play with the braid on her shoulder.

"Father knew I was so upset, so he got me the sweetest, softest golden retriever puppy… I named her Rosie. " She grinned and her eyes sparkled as she recalled the fond memory. She could still feel the velvety coat of the puppy underneath her fingertips.

She paused, and then refocused her eyes on the water to her left. Frank noticed her smile had faded. "When Father passed, it was just me and MacGregor with my Uncle… I was twelve and he was nine…and our Uncle, he hated Rosie. Just couldn't stand her. He would never let her in the house." Her eyes narrowed as she looked out at the water, anger setting across her features as she recalled her disdain for the man.

Then, her brows lifted… sorrow taking the place of the anger.

She swallowed dryly. "There was a lake where we lived. It was deep and so we would only splash and play at the edge during summertime, but in the winter, it was cold and dark. It always seemed like it was haunted, and MacGregor and I were terrified to go near it at night."

Frank's heart began to beat a little faster, anticipating the story before she told it. He wanted to reach out to touch her, comfort her, but held back, letting her speak without distraction.

"The rain had been coming down for hours, and I wanted desperately to go outside to see if Rosie was OK. Make sure she was safe and dry in her doghouse. And so I snuck out in my nightgown, hoping to just see her for a moment, let her know I was there for her, but when I got to her house, she was gone, her chain broken. I was panicked, and I ran into the field, looking everywhere for her."

Frank's brow knitted in concern as Lily's chest began to rise and fall faster, her hand lifting to her mouth to hide the frown on her lips with her fingertips.

Why am telling him this? No one wants to hear your sad memories.

He does…

She argued with herself.

Pride be damned, it was time she told this story to someone…

Then, setting her jaw, she continued, "It was so dark, and I was so worried and upset, that I ran directly off of the dock and into the lake." Her breath hitched, "I remember panicking, and feeling like something was pulling me, dragging me down to the bottom by my foot— It was so cold. Then suddenly, my Uncle was there, pulling me out of the water — MacGregor standing at the edge, shivering in the rain — he yelled at me, and cursed…telling me that he sold Rosie earlier in the day. Told me that if I ever step foot near the water again, he'd let me drown."

An overwhelming wave of protectiveness came over Frank, and he felt anger rise up in his chest that he began to clench and unclench a fist in his lap. He wanted to punch this man he'd never met, throw him in the river and let the piranhas have at him. He took a deep breath and, unfurling his fist, instead reached out to grab ahold of Lily's hand. He squeezed it tightly and when her eyes turned back to his, they were wet with unshed tears. His heart ached at the sight of her looking so vulnerable, and not the strong and fearless woman he had grown accustomed to.

She forced a smile upon her lips, "So, no — I don't know how to swim. La Luna Rota was just about the first time I'd been in a body of water since that night."

She breathed in deep, then pushed the breath out heavily. She thought she would feel upset or embarrassed by her story. She feared he would think less of her, make fun of the reason she was so damn afraid of the water, but none of those emotions surfaced. Instead she felt relief…relief at finally being able to allow herself to be unguarded and give in to the fear of that night —and letting it go. And when she looked up at him, she didn't see pity or sadness, she saw reassurance and strength. She blinked, the tears finally falling.

He smiled comfortingly back at her and handed her a clean handkerchief. He moved himself close enough for his other hand to rest upon her knee. "Lily — You are braver than you give yourself credit for. AND — more ballsy than most men I know!" She laughed at his comment, wiping furiously at the wetness on her cheek.

"I am constantly in awe by how confident and strong you are. Screw that Uncle of yours…" He said, making a rude gesture with his hand in the air dismissively. "He didn't give you the respect that you deserved. And he sure as hell didn't deserve to have you in his life."

"Thank you, Frank." She took a breath, then grinned at him. "Oh…and just for the record, you're the first person to refer to me as… ballsy." She blew her nose with the handkerchief.

"Well, it's an earned distinction, really." He teased.

Frank smiled and stood up from his seat, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and giving it a squeeze. There was a moment where his mind told himself to walk away, but he felt his heart compelling him to increase the contact, so he leaned down to place a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead.

Lily closed her eyes at the feeling of his lips on her skin. The contact seemingly breathing new, positive life into her body.

He pulled back and smiled down at her closed eyes. "Hey, I've got some good news…"

She opened her eyes to look up him, feeling warmth spread throughout her body at the affection in his gaze. "Oh? What's that?" She asked.

He pointed to the river ahead with his chin. "We're here."

XXXX

Notes:

*I would like to send a thank you, shout out, and a CREDIT to LilyPadWriting and her story, "it could be that one person is world enough". Her second chapter is so clever, in which she writes a short paragraph or sentence in response to one-word prompts. #3, Water, was so poignant to me, and it fit so well in the space of this chapter, that I requested her permission to include it. The excerpt is noted by the "*" next to the paragraph.

Please go check out her Jungle Cruise stories at "Archive of Our Own" (she doesn't post to )

I had planned a different type of chapter here, but it ended up being this conversational piece that I thought Frank and Lily needed, now that they had time alone.

Where are they now? What will happen?

That will be answered soon!

Thanks for reading, and have a great week ahead!

Staarss (Melissa)